Reverend backs claims Israel ‘like a vampire needing the blood of living’

A Reverend has told Jewish News he has no regrets about a series of incendiary posts on social media including claims that Israel acts “like a vampire needing the blood of living” and Labour MPs have been “owned by the shekel of genocide.”

The Rev Stephen Griffith, a volunteer chaplain at York Minster, has a lengthy history of posting inflammatory claims about “Zionists” and “Jews” and the Keir Starmer led Labour Party on social media.

When asked about his views, Griffith told Jewish News he was in the “exact place” that “thousands” of Jews in both the UK and in Israel were.

In a December 2023 posts on X/formerly known as Twitter he responded to Labour MP Chris Bryant writing:”As Israeli-owned Labour MPs continue to take the shekel of genocide more and more people are abandoning Labour….. Zionist Labour is an abomination.”

Earlier posts see Griffith condemn both the existence of a “Jewish” state and make claims that “Israel murders children daily. Like a vampire needing the blood of the living.”

He also posted “that’s the problem when you have a Jewish state” and in October 2022 claimed of Israel:”Most Jews choose to live elsewhere: why would they want to live by stealing land, burning crops, shooting children when they could live decent lives making the world a better place?”

In December 2022 he wrote:”The Zionists dance their war dance with evil intent.”
Returning to condemn Labour, he wrote last December:”Starmer takes Zionist money. He is on the side of Zionists…..This is Labour’s leader and he should be on trial for genocide.”

In January he shared claims on X that the Labour Friends of Israel group should ” be proscribed as a genocide enabler.”

Asked to comment on his posts Griffth told Jewish News:”The huge number of Jews who have spoken out bravely against this absolutely astonishing destruction of Gaza, who have demonstrated in their thousands in London, and in their tens of thousands in Israel and in the exact place as I am.

“We want an Israel which flourishes with its neighbour.”

Griffith retired from paid duties in the Southwark diocese a few years ago, and after moving to York has continued to perform duties at the cathedral in the city as a volunteer.

On his biography on X Griffith writes:”Enjoying travelling, history, faith. Long experience of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel/Palestine.”

A spokesperson for York Minister told Jewish News:“The Rev Stephen Griffith is a volunteer at York Minster.  He has no official spokesperson role and he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the cathedral.

“The views on his social media feed are his own and do not represent York Minster in any way whatsoever.”